Thumb-nut



(No Model.)

w. B. GOUL'TBR & J. CHURCHILL! THUMB NUT;

Patented July '1-9,1 881.

MG mvEmogs ATTORNEY N. PETERS. WWI-aphr- Washingmn. n. C

ing.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. COULTER AND JOHN CHURCHILL, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

THUMB-NUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,379, dated July 19,1881.

Application filed February 19, 1881. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM B. COUL- TER and JOHN CHURCHILL, ofBristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Thumb-Nuts; and we dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in thumb-nuts.

Heretofore th uinb-nuts have ordinarily been made of cast-iron, the nutportion of which is first drilled and then tapped. This construction ofthumb-nut is expensive, owing to the time, and expense required indrilling and tapping the cast-iron; and the object of our invention isto obviate these objections and difficulties met with in themanufactureof thumb'n'uts.

With these ends in view our invention consists, essentially, in thecombination, with a nut, of an inclosing-shell providedwith'thumbprojections, said shell being firmly secured to the nut.

Our invention further consists in certain features of construction, aswill hereinafter be described, and pointed outin the claims In theaccompanying drawings, Figure l is a view, partly in side elevation andpartly in vertical section, of a bolt having our improved constructionof thumb-nut applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of theshell or casin g which is applied to the nut. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe under side of the shell or cas- Fig. 4 is a view in perspective ofthe complete thumb-nut.

A represents an ordinary wrought-metal nut, and B the bolt to which thenut is applied.

The nut A is transformed into a thumb-nut by applying thereto the shellC, which is preferably made of malleable cast-iron, though it may bemade of other material, if desired. The shell or casing C is composed ofthe fiat sides a, which fit against the sides of an ordinary nut, andthe bottom. b, upon which the nut is seated, said bottom portion beingperforated at c for the passage of the bolt. Two sides of the shell 0are provided at their upper edges with the prongs or projections d, ofany desired form, size, and number, which are bent over against theupper face of the nut, and thus retain it against displacement. Theshell has thumb-pieces e 6 cast solid therewith. Thus it will beobserved that the ordinary form of nut may be quickly transformed into athumbnut at very slight expense. The inclosing shell 0, having a firmbearing on the sides and V the upper and lower faces of the nut, isfirmly held in place, and is equally as durable as if made integraltherewith. The shell may, of course, be made to fit a nut having anynumber of sides. Again, we would have it understood that we do notconfine our invention solely to thumb-nuts, as a hand-wheel with but oneWing or handle on it may be made in the same manner and would fallwithin the scope of our invention.

Itis evident that slight changes in the form and construction of partsmight be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention,and hence we would have it understood that we do not restrict ourselvesto the exact form and construction of parts shown and described; but,Having fully described our invention, what we desire to claim as new,and secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An in'casing-shell provided with a receptacle for a nut, an openingfor a bolt, wings, (one or more,) and projections adapted to be bentover against one face of the nut and secure it against displacement,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a nut, of an inc-asin g'shell provided withthumb-pieces or proj ections and furnished with projections or prongswhich are bent over against one face of the nut, substantially as setforth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsthis 15th day of February, 1881.

WILLIAM B. COULTER. JOHN CHURCHILL. Witnesses:

S. P. NEWELL, "J. O. RUssELL.

